Shuffle Playlist
by TheSouthLondonShaman
Summary: A collection of oneshots based on songs. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1-Mister Blue Sky

Chapter 1

Electric Light Orchestra

Mister Blue Sky

"_Sun is shinin' in the sky_

_There ain't a cloud in sight_

_It's stopped rainin' ev'rybody's in a play_

_And don't you know_

_It's a beautiful new day he-ey."_

Howard stands in the doorway watching Vince. The smaller man is dancing around the kitchen floor, sliding around in his socks and only just keeping his balance, dressed in the aforementioned socks, a pair of shorts and a poncho. The music's blasting as he butters toast, piling jam on. He continues to dance as he takes a bite, covering his chin with the jam.

"Hey you with the pretty face

Welcome to the human race." Vince sings through a mouthful of food.

"A celebration, Mister Blue Sky's up there waiting

And today is the day we've waited for." Howard sings back, still standing in the doorway. Vince jumps about a mile in the air. He turns around to see Howard grinning.

"Howard!" He exclaims in surprise. "I was…" He trails off, not entirely sure how to explain what it was that he had been doing.

"Dancing around the kitchen and getting jam all over your face?" Howard offers. "You look like a little kid."

"I essentially am a little kid." Vince replies as his look of shock disappears, replaced by a smile.

"_Hey there mister blue_

_We're so pleased to be with you_

_Look around see what you do_

_Ev'rybody smiles at you."_

"Yeah, you are." Howard says, hugging him.


	2. Chapter 2-Any Time At All

Chapter 2

The Beatles

Any Time At All

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Yes, Howard, I'm sure. You're only going to be gone for the weekend!"

"Ok, but if you need anything, at any time at all, all you have to do is call and I'll be there."

"I know, Howard."

"For anything, any time at all, alright?"

"Alright."

"If you're feeling sorry and sad, I'd really sympathise."

"I know, Howard, but I'll be fine."

"If you need a shoulder to cry on, I hope it'll be mine."

"Howard, I'll be fine, I'm not going to get really upset just because you've gone away for a weekend. I'm a grown man, not a puppy." Howard gives a sigh of defeat.

"Alright. But-"

"I'll be fine! Go on, you'll miss your train." Vince waves him off as walks from the station. Before he even gets to the station's exit, he gets a text.

'Any time at all, all you have to do is call and I'll be there.' He smiles down at his phone happily. Howard's great.


	3. Chapter 3-1st Secret Track

Chapter 3

1st Secret Track

"Shh, it's alright." Howard soothes. Vince has woken up with nightmares, again, and he's sitting in Howard's bed. He's leaning against the older man's chest, wrapped up in the strong, gentle arms. "It's alright. When I'm here, nothing can go wrong. You're safe, I promise."

"I keep hearing things though, Howard. When I hear, I know I hear what no one else can hear." Howard holds him close, knowing that sometimes, it's better to just let him talk. "My eyes are dry and I can't see. Manic voices chant to me. My neck won't support my head, and I know that I can't go to bed. The voices, they never stop. When I hear, I know I hear what no one else can hear." He reaches a hand up and traces Howard's face, even though he knows it by heart. "I just…" He sighs. "I don't know what to do Howard. I'm so, so scared."

"Shh. I'll keep you safe. When I'm here, nothing can go wrong. Nothing at all. You're safe, Vince. Nothing can go wrong." He keeps holding him until they both fall asleep, Vince still on Howard's chest.


	4. Chapter 4-Help!

Chapter 4

The Beatles

Help!

"Vince will you please let me help?"

"No!" Vince almost shouts in frustration.

"Please, Vince."

"No! I can manage."

"You're ill, you shouldn't be unpacking the shopping. Let me. Go and lie on the sofa." Howard says, finally pulling his friend away from the bags and giving him a gentle push towards the sitting room.

"Howard, I'm fine, honestly!" Vince protests, but he's ignored.

When he's finished unpacking the shopping, Howard goes through to the sitting room to find Vince lying on the sofa as instructed, looking considerably more subdued.

"What's wrong?" He asks, sitting down next to the smaller man.

"I hate being ill. I didn't used to get ill. I'm getting old."

"You're not getting old."

"I am! When I was younger, so much younger than today, I never needed anybody's help in any way. But now, these days are gone and I'm not so self-assured. I didn't need anyone, I was sure. But now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors. Help me, Howard. Help me if you can, I'm feeling down. I do appreciate you being round." Howard scoffs. "I do! Help me get my feet back on the ground. Won't you, please, please help me?"

"Of course I'll help. Not that you need it. I've always helped you."

"Yeah, but that was when we were kids. That was ages ago. And now my life has changed in, oh, so many ways. My independence seems to vanish in the haze. I used to be so sure, I knew what was happening. But every now and then I feel so insecure. I know that I just need you like I've never done before."

"I'll always be here for you, Vince." Vince gazes up at him, looking innocent.

"You promise?" He asks, like a child in need of assurance.

"I promise, Vince."


	5. Chapter 5-Why Do You Want Him?

Chapter 5

Green Day

Why Do You Want Him?

"Vince? What's wrong?" Howard's never seen his friend look so…lost. Vince is staring down at the mobile he's just hung up, looking confused. Howard hadn't heard the conversation, and he was glad. There were tear tracks down Vince's cheeks, meaning something must have happened. He doesn't receive a reply, so he asks again. "Vince? What's happened? What's wrong?" After several more minutes of silence, Vince turns to him.

"Lance." He finally manages to say. Howard sighed inwardly. Lance was Vince's boyfriend of two years. Howard hated him. He was horrible to Vince, but Vince couldn't see anything but good in him. Lance was a complete and utter moron. Vince could do a million times better.

"What about him? Is he alright?"

"Yeah, he's fine." Vince says, his voice distant. He struggles to speak for several minutes, before finally managing to blurt out: "But I'm not!" He bursts into fresh tears, nearly breaking Howard's heart.

"What do you mean?"

"It…It…It's all my fault!"

"What's your fault?"

"Lancebrokeupwithme!" Vince almost shouts, the words coming out in a rush.

"I didn't understand any of that, Vince. Say it again, slowly this time."

"He broke up with me! He broke up with me and it's all my fault!"

"Oh, Vince." Howard goes to hug him, but Vince pushes him away.

"Don't! I'm horrible, I'm a horrible person and it's all my fault!"

"You're not, Vince. He's the horrible person. Why do you want him?" Vince just sobs.

"Why do you want him?"

"Because he loves me!"

"When will you stop telling yourself that? He doesn't love you, he never loved you! He was just using you!"

"He wasn't!"

"He was! He was using you, and you still want him! Why? Why do you want him? You're so obsessed with his love."

"I'm not…" Vince says, not sure he believes it himself.

"You are. And it needs to end. And you need to get over him. Last time this happened, you just sort of…sank. Into a pit of brightly coloured cocktails and late night parties. You're falling already. You need to find a way out. You don't need him." Vince sits there for several minutes before looking up at him.

"Really?"

"Really." Howard pats his leg. "Now, come on. Get your coat."

"Where are we going?"

"To the supermarket."

"Why? You just went shopping yesterday."

"Yes, but that was normal shopping. We're going shopping for chocolate ice cream and popcorn, then we're going to come back and watch a film. A night in could do us both good. Sound like a good plan?" Vince smiles up at him.

"Yeah."


	6. Chapter 6-Time Warp

Chapter 6

Richard O'Brien

Time Warp

"_It's astounding_

_Time is fleeting_

_Madness takes its' toll"_

It was the only song Howard would publicly dance to, even if he was a little reluctant. Vince would grab his hand and pull him towards the dance floor, laughing.

"_Let's do the time warp again!"_

Everyone would sing along with the familiar refrain, even the tall, jazzy northerner.

"_Let's do the time warp again!"_

When that song came on, the whole room turned into what looked like a kid's party. They would stand in a circle, grinning as though they were three years old again.

"_It's just a jump to the left_

_And then a step to the right._

_Put your hands on your hips._

_You bring your knees in tight._

_But it's the pelvic thrusts_

_That really drives you insane._

_Let's do the time-warp again!_

_Let's do the time-warp again!"_

They would fall apart laughing as the song ended, then go their separate ways, chatting happily. Howard would go back to his whiskey, 'a proper man's drink', he called it, and Vince would go back to drinking something bright and colourful. It was one of those songs. It had the power to draw roomfuls of people together, no matter how different they were, and let them all have fun. It was fantastic.


End file.
